Electrode for electric furnaces.



W. T. GIBBS & R. ALWITHERSPOON.

ELECTRODE FOR ELECTRIC FURNACES.

NH/Macaw an i m a M0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM TAYLOR GIBBS, OF BUCKINGI-IAM, AND ROBERT WITHERSPOON, OF SHA- WINIGAN'FALLS, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNORS TO THE SHAWINIGAN-CARIBIDE COMPANY LIMITED, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, A CORPORATION.

'nnnc'rnonn ron ELECTRIC FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,305.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

(25,000) amperes, and. it hasfor its object to provide an effective, durable, and low cost electrode for a furnace of this type specially designed for the manufacture carbid.

The inventionjmay be said to consist of the construction and particular combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. For full comprehension,

of calcium however, .of our invention reference must be.

had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on two vertical planes one extending from the outside of an electric furnace across the front of the electrode to a point in line with thecenter thereof and the other extending from the center. ofthe,

electrode through the opposite side of the furnace; Fig. 2 is an endelevation .of the electrode partly in section and drawn to. a'

larger scale; and Fig. 3 is a plan View 'of the head partly in section, the section being taken on line A, A, Fig. 1.

Broadly speaking our improved electrode comprises a series of electrically connected members of high electrical conductivity each consisting of distinct. substances of different degrees of hardness and a substance also of high electrical conductivity but not to such a degree asthe said members, is intimately connected with and braces the latter and increases the transmitting properties of the electrode.

The head of our improved electrode consists of a casting of circular shallow horizontal box form, I), having a diametricalhollow flange 0 upon its top, and the horizontal box portion has a central opening 03 encircled by a series of similar openings e, sockets being formed in inward continuation of such openings d and e by cylindrical webs f while these sockets are interiorly screw threaded. The flange acts as a terminal and also as means for connecting the electrode to a crane or' other hoisting apparatus to facilitate which a series of through holes '9 are formed therein, those in the opposite sides of the flangebeing connected together by sleeve-likev webs hthus forming a water chamber within the flange.

The water chamber within the head proper has feed and discharge pipes iand j connected thereto, and pipes 70 and Z serve the chamber within the flange. The sockets formed by the openings d and e and sleeves f are screw-threaded.

A series of graphite (graphitic carbon) plugs or short rods m externally screwthreaded at one .end as at n, and axially ,re-

cessed as at o and internally screw-threaded.

at its. other end, have their externally screwthreaded ends screwed intoithe sockets in the head; and projections of these plugs or rods are formed by amorphous carbon (nongraphitic carbon) rods p, one end of each. of which is reduced and screw-threaded as at q and screwed into the recessed end 0 of. Qthe graphite plugs, thus forming pencils ipart graphite-and part amorphous. carbon. These pencils constitute members of high electrical conductivityand they are supple- ,mented' and protected against breakage by a substance also of-high electrical conductivity but not to such a degree as the said members.

A sheet iron shell 1' corresponding in horizontal contour with the head incloses the pencils, and a filler 8 consisting of a conducting substance is packed around and between the pencils. and preferably moldedv and baked before the shell is set in place.

The packing substance we prefer to use consists of :ground coke '100 parts, by weight; redistilled tar 27% parts, by weight; pitch 27 parts, by weight.

Our improved electrode is particularly adapted for use in connection with a furnace for -the manufacture of calcium carbid,

supported on a wheel truck 4 and having acarbon base 2 and lime stone walls 3, the wheeled truck being for facilitating the repair or renewal of the members of the electrode which is raised by a crane the connection for which are in part indicated.

at 5, and the furnace shifted from beneath it to enable the repair or'. renewal to be effected.

The reason for using a graphite electrode in the water cooled head is because'We-havd 'found that amorphous carbon electrode,

when used in such water cooled head is liable to break, While a graphite electrode will not trical conductive substancequnited toand supplementing the said pencil, the latter be.

' ing of higher electrical conductivity than the supplementing body.

2. An electrode for an electric furnace, comprislng a head consisting of metal hav- -inghigh electrical conductivity, pencils fixed inthe said head and consisting of dis: tinct sections-of graphite and amor hous carbon, and a packing incasing the sai pencils consisting of a substance of high electrical conductivity. 3. An. electrode foran' electric furnace, comprising a head consisting of metal having high electrical conductivity and pre-' senting a plurality of sockets; pencils fixed in the saidsockets and consisting of dis tinct sections of graphiteand amorphous carbon, and. a; packing incasing, the said comprising a metal head capable of conduct 6. The combination with a furnacehaving carbon rods astened to the plugs or short rods; and a substance capable of conducting electricity incasing the said pencils.

5. An electrode for an. electric furnace ing electricity and presenting a plurality of. screw-threaded sockets; graphite plu or short rods-screwed into the sockets an pre senting interiorly screw-threaded recessed ends; amorphous carbon rods screwed at one end-into the recessed endof the plugs or short rods; a substance capable of conducting electricity incasing the. said pencils, and a sheet ironv shell inclosing the said substance and rods.

a base adapted to conduct electricity, 'ofan electrode comprising .a head consistin of metal. having high electrical conductivity andpresenting a plurality, of sockets; graphite penciIs in said sockets and having amorphous carbonextensions and a packing incasing the said pencils consisting of a substanc'e of high electrical. conductivity.

In-t'estimony. whereof, wehave signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

-WILLIAM TAYLOR GIBBS. 'RL'A. WITHERSPOON. I Witnesses to signature of Gibbs I EDGAR ROY,

FRED C. DUNSCOMBE. -Witnesses to signature of Witherspoon:

-E. J. Knam'ss, .JoHN R-INTOUL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. l 

